


time is forgiveness

by malecsmagicalarrows



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Angst with a Happy Ending, Family Drama, Family Feels, M/M, Malec with kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-28 03:48:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17175284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malecsmagicalarrows/pseuds/malecsmagicalarrows
Summary: 20 years ago, Alec and Magnus got married, their friends and family surrounding them in joy and peace and love. It was the happiest they’d ever been, they both thought.15 years ago, Alec and Magnus adopted a beautiful baby girl. They named her Diana, after Alec’s favorite Roman myth when he was a child. This, they thought, was a happiness that would never be absent from their lives again.3 years ago, they lost that happiness when Diana packed her bags and left, never to look back.Every year on Christmas Eve- their beautiful baby girl’s birthday- they sit on their couch and they wait for her to come home.





	time is forgiveness

**Author's Note:**

> My contribution for the Malec Advent Calendar 2018 hosted by magnusandalexander on tumblr. I was day 25. Merry Christmas <3

_ December 24, 2003, 8:52 PM, New York, NY _

“This is the best Christmas present I could ever ask for,” Magnus sighed softly, clutching the tiny baby close to his heart, “Alexander, just look at her. She’s precious.”

“I know,” Alec smiled, and he didn’t even bother trying to hide his tears, for they came from a place of pure joy at seeing his daughter for the first time, “I still can’t believe she’s really ours, Magnus.”

“I know,” Magnus whispered and gazed up at his husband of five years, “After all this time, after everything we went through just to meet her birth mother, I-”

“I know,” Alec said, “I know.”

“Have you two decided on a name yet?” the nurse asked kindly.

Alec gave Magnus a peck on the cheek and stood, “Yes, we have,” he said, “We want to name her Diana.”

“That’s a beautiful name,” the nurse said, the corners of her mouth tilting upward, “I’ll get the paperwork, then.”

She rushed off, and Alec let out a deep sigh, settling into the hard plastic chair next to Magnus. He leaned over and rested his head on his shoulder, fighting to keep his eyes open so that he could continue to look at his daughter.

“Diana?” Magnus asked, intrigued. They’d had a few rows concerning the name of their daughter, and one night after a particularly nasty one, he collapsed into Alec’s arms and practically begged him to just pick a name.

“Diana,” Alec agreed, though he didn’t elaborate further.

Magnus hummed, and Alec laughed, “I’ll tell you all about it, I promise, babe,” he said, “Right now I just want to spend time with you and our daughter.”

“Right,” Magnus sighed, “We’re in for a lifetime of sleepless nights.”

“Yup,” Alec grinned, “I can’t wait.”

“Me neither.”

* * *

 

_ December 24, 2018, 9:34 PM, Boston, MA _

The old opera house was the perfect place for a homeless kid to take refuge in at night: run down, isolated, not too drafty, and plenty of seats to sleep in so that you didn’t have to sleep on the floor among the used, dirty needles and the rats.

Diana sighed and threw her backpack into a seat in the first row, where the pit would usually be. She sunk into the seat next to it and prepared herself for another cold, sleepless night. She pulled the hoodie over her head and tugged on the string, then promptly curled up into a ball and closed her eyes.

“I can’t imagine this is a very suitable place for a little girl to spend the night,” a deep, booming voice called out, and Diana shot up, whipping her head back and forth, searching frantically for the voice.

She hoped beyond everything that it wasn’t a cop.

The man walked towards her, and she observed his posture for a few moments before she relaxed slightly. It wasn’t a cop, so she didn’t have to worry about that, but there were other dangers out there she had to look out for. 

She would allow herself to breathe, but she couldn’t let her guard down. That would mean certain death, she knew.

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice steady and calm despite the fear brewing within her.

“A friend,” the man said, and his smile was so gentle, she almost believed him.

“That’s not an answer and you know it,” she said, “I’m 15, not an idiot. So who are you?”

The man stopped at the end of the row of seats she seated herself in and seemed to consider the question.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Nice try,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes, “If you’re really my friend, you would know who I am. You wouldn’t have to ask.”

The man laughed and walked closer to her, sitting in the seat on the other side of her backpack. He stretched his legs a little, then settled back in the seat.

“My name is James,” he finally answered, “And yours?”

“Diana.”

By all means, she shouldn’t have been talking to this guy, much less telling him about herself. But he looked so much like her grandfather, Luke, and his demeanor reminded her of him, as well. His smile was bright and his eyes were kind, and Diana had missed the simplicity of kindness.

She missed her family, too, but she was never getting that back, so she decided to settle for second best for tonight.

“And what are you doing here tonight, hm?” 

She ducked her head and wrung her hands together, drowning in her regrets.

“I can’t go home,” she mumbled.

“Your family does not love you?” James inquired, tilting his head.

“No, they do!” she whipped her head up, then sank back in her seat. “They love me more than I love myself.”

“If that’s the case,” the man said, “then why can you not return home?”

“It’s a long story,” she said.

“I’m not leaving any time soon.”

She looked over at the man and held eye contact for a few seconds before nodding.

“Okay,” she said, “but the first thing you need to know is that it was all my fault. My dads didn’t do anything wrong.”

James didn’t say anything and she let out a deep sigh. She felt tears slip down her cheeks, but she wiped them away immediately. Weakness was death on the streets.

“It happened three years ago.”

* * *

 

_ November 18, 2015, 4:37 PM, New York, NY _

Diana huffed as she busted into the loft, throwing her school bags on the floor and slinging her coat off. She started stomping upstairs to her bedroom when she heard the door slam behind her and the voice of her angry father trailing behind.

“Diana Sophia, if you take one more step, I swear to  _ god-” _

“You swear to god what, dad?” she demanded, whirling to face her father, “You and I both know damn well that you and papa don’t believe in physical punishment, so what are you going to do? Ground me? I’m 12 years old, that doesn’t work on me anymore.”

Anger flashed dangerously in her father’s eyes, and Diana almost backed down.

“You guys are so overbearing, god!”

Keyword: almost.

“Overbearing?” Alec said, and the tremble in his voice shocked Diana.

When Magnus was mad, he was calm, but in an intense way that affected the entire room. When Alec was mad- really mad, not just the kind of mad you got over after an hour or two- his entire body would shake.

She gulped, but again, she didn’t back down. She had a stubborn streak that even Magnus and Alec had a hard time crossing, especially now that she had hit puberty.

“If you think me being concerned for your safety is overbearing, then you have another thing coming for you,” Alec said, “Go to your room. I’ll deal with you when your father comes home.”

Diana turned and walked away, muttering under her breath about  _ you are my father, just deal with me now,  _ and  _ I was going to go to my room before you stopped me anyways _ .

Alec inhaled deeply, slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he attempted to calm himself down. He always knew that Diana would be the death of him, but this was just too much. He looked at the clock and noted that it would be at least another half an hour before Magnus got back, so he took out his phone and sent his husband a text.

_ Alec, 4:42 PM _

Your daughter is going to be the death of me.

_ Magnus, 4:43 PM _

That’s not a good sign.

_ Magnus, 4:43 PM _

What happened?

_ Alec, 4:45 PM _

She became a teenager.

_ Magnus, 4:46 PM _

Ha ha, very funny. Seriously, what did she do?

_ Alec, 4:49 PM _

The usual, kind of. She was hanging out with those older kids when I picked her up from school today so I tried to talk to her about it, nudge her in the right direction. She just rolled her eyes and refused to talk to me so I yelled.

_ Magnus, 4:51 PM _

We all know how much she loves being yelled at. She go to her room?

_ Alec, 4:51 PM _

I had to let her go. I was so angry I couldn’t stop shaking.

_ Magnus, 4:53 PM _

I know.

_ Magnus, 4:53 PM _

We’ll talk more about this when I get home. I need to get back to work so I can leave.

_ Alec, 4:55 PM _

I love you.

_ Magnus, 4:57 PM _

I love you too.

_ Magnus, 5:28 PM _

On my way. Dinner?

_ Alec, 5:28 PM _

Just pick some pizza up or something. Be careful.

_ Magnus, 5:30 PM _

Will do. See you at home.

_ Alec, 5:31 PM _

See you at home. Love you.

_ Magnus, 5:48 PM _

Love you too.

* * *

 

_ December 24, 2018, 9:34 PM, New York, NY _

Alec sits on the couch, staring at his phone, rereading the old text messages between himself and his husband for the millionth time that night. Magnus sits on the other end of the couch staring into the distance, mind lost in the void. He was holding the glass of wine he’d poured 3 hours ago, still completely untouched.

Suddenly, in a fit of frustration and helplessness, Alec threw his phone across the living room. It hit the wall by the TV they hadn’t used in 3 years and it shattered. The noise startled Magnus out of his stupor, though his reaction was delayed, almost sluggish.

“Alexander?” he asked. His voice was rough; neither of them had said a word since they climbed out of bed that morning.

“Every year,” Alec said, “we sit on this couch and do the same exact thing. We sit here and we do nothing. You stare at the wall. I stare at my phone. Nothing ever changes.”

Magnus didn’t have anything to say to that. It was the truth, after all.

“Something needs to change, Magnus,” Alec pleaded, and he hadn’t cried in so long but tonight it felt like he might.

“I know,” Magnus said and ducked his head to the floor, “I know.”

It was silent for what felt like hours, but in reality was only a minute or so. Alec leaned back, scrubbing his hands over his face, desperately trying to erase the nothingness he felt deep within.

“Did I ever get around to telling you why I chose Diana?” he asked, “I mean, we all know why I chose Sophia for her middle name. There’s no real story behind that- but Diana has a story.”

“I don’t think you did, no,” Magnus said, and he almost swore that he felt his lips twitch upwards.

“When Izzy and I were kids, we got super into Roman mythology,” Alec started, “It was insane. It drove our parents up the wall.”

Magnus didn’t say anything, but he wondered how he never knew that about Alec. He’d always believed they told each other everything.

“In all honesty, it wasn’t a very long phase, and I mostly forgot about it,” he continued, “But the story of Diana and Apollo always stuck with me.”

Magnus hummed. It was appropriate, really. Alec, the strong, serious older brother with a younger sister that shone so bright you could barely look and an outgoing personality to boot.

“Back then, Iz and I would pretend that she was Apollo and I was Diana. As I got older, and after we met, I started thinking what it might be like to have kids. And I thought, what if I had a daughter? What would I name her?”

Alec shook his head at the memories, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips.

“I always circled back to Diana. Every time. And, you know, it was just perfect giving her Izzy’s middle name on top of it. It was like my little girl could have both of us with her, all the time,” Alec sighed, and Magnus felt a tightness in his chest when he saw the tear escape, “And now she’s gone, and she’s scared and alone and I- I wish I had told her that. There are so many things I wish I could tell her now, so many things I wish I had told her before.”

Maybe then she wouldn’t be gone.

* * *

 

_ December 24, 2018, 10:03 PM, Boston, MA _

“You know,” James said after a moment of contemplation, “There’s still a lot that I don’t understand.”

“What do you mean?” Diana asked, confused, “I told you. I had a fight with my dads over something stupid. I pissed them off. I packed a bag and left. What more do you need to know to be able to understand?”

“Well, for one,” James said, “Why would you run? Your story made it very clear that you love your dads, and they love you. Why make the decision to leave?”

“I don’t know,” Diana confessed, “It seemed like the right idea at the time. I wanted to be able to choose my own friends without them trying to convince me they were bad people, and every time they yelled it felt more and more like they were protecting me from nothing. I wanted to make my own decisions.”

“Every child does go through that, at one point or another,” James agreed, “But there is another thing I can’t quite grasp.”

“What?”

“Why can’t you go back?”

* * *

 

_ November 18, 2015, 7:34 PM, New York, NY _

The dinner table was silent. Magnus had insisted they eat before they have any sort of conversation, but it was tense and uncomfortable and honestly, he almost regretted it.

Diana moved to get up from the dinner table, and Magnus cleared his throat pointedly. She rolled her eyes and plopped back down in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

“So I guess you’re on his side in all this?” she asked him, and her tone was so scathing it took Magnus aback.

“First of all, young lady,” Magnus began, “Just because you are angry with us does not give you the right to use that manner of tone with us. And don’t roll your eyes at me, either. Your father and I treat you with every ounce of respect that you deserve, we expect the same from you.”

“Right, because people who respect me tell me that I’m not old enough to pick my own friends or choose who I spend my time with, right?”

“I never told you that you can’t choose who you hang out with, Diana,” Alec stepped in, “What I said was that you ought to be careful with who you do choose. The world is not kind, I know you know that. I only want what’s best for you.”

“I’m old enough to know who’s bad and who isn’t!” she screeched, angry tears flowing down her face.

“We know that, but-” Magnus tried.

“But nothing! All you ever do is control what I say and what I do and I’m fucking sick of it!”

“Language!” Alec snapped.

“That is exactly what I mean,” Diana cried, “It’s just a word! Why can’t I say it? Fuck!”

“That is enough from you,” Magnus said, standing from his chair, “Your father and I have tried being gentle, we have tried being kind, but clearly it has not been effective. You’re grounded. No technology, no hanging out outside of school events. I will be taking you to school in the morning, and I will be having a conversation with your teachers and the principal about your behavior.”

“What?” Diana yelled, “That’s not fair-!”

“Fair or not, I have already decided.” Magnus said, “Go to your room. I will be up shortly to collect your phone and your laptop.”

Diana stormed off, screaming all the way up. She slammed the door, and the sound echoed throughout the loft.

Sharing a knowing look with his husband, Magnus gathered the dishes and brought them to the kitchen. Alec followed him, wrapping his arms around his waist gently. Magnus intertwined their fingers and leaned back into his embrace, sighing.

“I know,” Alec muttered, pressing a kiss into his neck, “I’ll go up there.”

“Alec-” Magnus tried, but Alec shushed him.

“You were the judge and the jury tonight,” Alec insisted, “I’ll be the executioner.”

Magnus smirked and sat up, turning to face his husband. He patted him on the chest reassuringly.

“Hurry back, then.”

Alec grinned, placing one last kiss on Magnus’ lips before he made his way upstairs. As he reached his daughter’s bedroom, he knocked three times. No response. He rolled his eyes.

“I’m coming in, Diana,” he announced, pushing the door open.

Dead silence. Peering in, he looked around the room. The door to the ensuite bathroom was closed and Diana was not in the bedroom, so he shrugged and assumed she was wiping her face after crying. He noted the laptop and phone laying on the bedspread and walked over to them, picking them up and settling them in the crook of his left arm. He walked over to the bathroom door and knocked three times.

“Go away,” came the muffled, sniffling voice of his daughter.

“It’s dad,” he called, “I have your phone and your laptop.”

“Whatever, I don’t care,” she said, and he nodded.

“Goodnight, Diana.”

He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, and made a quick pitstop to his and Magnus’ room to keep the phone and laptop until further notice. He returned back downstairs and raised his arms in a sort of victory pose.

“Completely painless,” he remarked, “She was in the bathroom, but she had the stuff on her bed.”

Magnus sighed, taking a deep sip of wine and collapsing on the couch. Alec sat next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him in close. He pressed a kiss into his hair for a moment, eyes screwed shut.

“Whoever said raising teenagers is hard is an idiot,” Magnus muttered, “There are no words to describe how difficult this is.”

Alec hummed, running his fingers through his husband’s hair.

“Maybe the next one won’t be so difficult,” he suggested playfully.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Magnus laughed, “We are nowhere near ready for a second, especially not a baby. If we think Diana is bad now, imagine trying to introduce another child in her life.”

“You’re right,” Alec conceded, “But who said anything about a baby?”

“I suppose,” Magnus hummed, “Maybe we can talk about it once we adjust to the  _ new Diana _ .”

Alec laughed, not disagreeing.

Later that night, as they were getting ready to go to bed, Alec suggested they go say goodnight to Diana. They hadn’t heard any noise from her bedroom the past four hours, but they figured she was still upset and shrugged it off. Still, seeing their daughter at the end of the night always brought them comfort.

Knocking on the door, they didn’t really expect any sort of response, but they waited a moment after anyways. When no response came, Magnus announced their entrance and opened the door. The lights were off, and it was cold. Magnus shivered and turned on the light, concern for his daughter’s health trumping his desire to let her rest should she be asleep.

The lights flickered on and he gasped in horror. The window by her bed was wide open, and her sheets were rumpled as if she had been standing on the bed. Her clothes were scattered across her room and her school bag was missing.

“Alexander,” Magnus gasped.

“I’ll call the police,” Alec said, immediately running off to find the phone.

Magnus stood there, shocked to his core. His hand was still raised, resting on the light switch, trembling violently. Sucking in another breath, he began to sob.

* * *

 

_ December 24, 2015, New York, NY _

They’d been searching for over a month now, and still, there was no news. They had searched every back alley 10 times, they’d checked the train stations, CCTV footage, everything they could possibly think of.

Their little girl was gone.

That first night, the police had assured them that there was no reason to believe Diana wouldn’t return of her own free will. They would search, in the meantime, but until then it was just a matter of waiting.

3 days later, when they still had nothing, Alec’s stepfather- Luke, a former cop- suggested they buy advertisements to help look for her. They chose the most recent photo they had of her and released a standard description: southeast asian, female, brown hair, brown eyes, five-feet-3-inches tall, one hundred and twenty pounds, born December 24 of 2003, missing since November 15 of 2015.

Nothing came up.

They sat on the couch, Alec staring at his phone and Magnus staring at the wall. They’d stopped turning on the television a week after she had gone missing, weary of the news reports and not willing to entertain themselves.

So they sat. And they waited.

But she didn’t come home.

* * *

 

_ December 23, 2016, 1:34 AM, Milford, CT _

Diana knew three things. One: ever since she left home, she hadn’t stopped walking. Two: she misses her dads, but she can’t go home. Three: she hasn’t eaten in almost 2 days.

The hunger pains were the worst. The fatigue and the blurry vision she could handle, but every time she found herself stuck in a position like this, the worst thing was the pain.

She had always despised pain.

She does her best to distract herself, but without energy, there isn’t much to do. She can’t think of home; there’s no going back there, she knows, so what’s the point? She doesn’t have any friends to talk to; on the streets, there was no such thing as friendship. At least not for her, at least.

So she wanders from street to street, an hour at a time, searching for a bite to carry her through.

Every so often, someone will walk by, and she’ll hold out the styrofoam cup she keeps with her, begging for change.

Most people scoff or ignore her. Some are kind enough to give a few coins, but none stop for long or give too much.

She spots a man walking towards her and she holds out her cup, praying to gods she doesn’t believe in for  _ something. _

The man reaches into his pockets when he spots her, and when he finds what he’s looking for, he walks up and leans over to place it in her cup. He straightens and leaves, and she breathes a heavy sigh of relief.

Looking down to see what fortunes he had bestowed, she freezes at the sight of green. She snaps her head back up, but the man is long gone. With trembling fingers, she reaches into the cup to see how much, and she gasps once more.

Sitting in her hands is 3 $100 bills and a small note. She unfurls the note and reads it, tears stinging her eyes.

_ Merry Christmas and may God bless your soul. I can only hope this kindness brings a smile upon your face and light into your life. _

* * *

 

_ December 24, 2018, 10:08 PM, Boston, MA _

“You left out of anger,” James said, “and you never looked back. Until you did.”

“Until I did,” she agreed.

“And by that point, you were so far from home, there was no point in turning back?” 

“That’s right,” Diana agreed, “I know my dads love me, and I love them, too, but…”

“But?”

“They’ve moved on by now. I know it.”

“Do you, though?” James pushed, tilting his head, “You say you know the entire story, but I don’t think you do.”

“And what makes you think that, oh wise one?” Diana bit back sarcastically, scowling at the man.

“Only years of experience,” James chuckled, “Listen, Diana. There is always more than one side to a story. You’re always privy to at least one, but never all.”

“Maybe so,” Diana muttered, “But there’s no way they’d take me back after everything I’ve put them through.”

“Diana, do you miss your parents?”

“Of course I do,” Diana insisted.

“Then what makes you believe they do not miss you as well?” James asked.

“I know they do,” Diana said, “But we have to let go of those we love. That’s life.”

“This is true, but perhaps they’re not ready for that just yet,” James said, “Especially with the hope that you may still be out there.”

Diana didn’t respond to that. She picked at the thread of her hoodie, and James heaved a deep sigh as he stood. He brushed his khaki trousers and turned to face her.

“I suppose you’ll be wanting rest sometime tonight,” James said, “I’ll leave you, but when you wake, I want you to consider long and hard about what you want, even if you think you can not have it. Maybe then life will fall back into place as it should.”

Diana furrowed her eyebrows in confusion but nodded at the man, “Thank you,” she called out as he walked away, “for listening to me.”

James turned back and shrugged, “It’s what I do.”

And then he was gone.

* * *

 

_ December 25, 2018, 3:07 AM, New York, NY _

Alec laughed lightly as Magnus finished his story. All night, they had been sharing memories of Diana, fighting to keep her spirit close.

“She’s so stubborn,” Alec sighed, downing the rest of the wine.

“I miss her,” Magnus said, somber.

Alec just nodded in agreement.

There were no words to make up for the loss of a child.

* * *

 

_ December 25, 2018, 3:07 AM, Boston, MA _

Diana woke up with a jolt, and the notebook that had been resting in her lap fell to the floor noisily. A rat scattered away, startled by the sudden noise, and Diana rubbed her eyes.

Leaning down to pick up the journal, she frowned. She didn’t remember falling asleep but she was fairly certain she hadn’t been holding a journal when she’d slipped into unconsciousness.

Suddenly, she remembered James’ words to her.

_ There is always more than one side to a story. You’re always privy to at least one, but never all. I want you to think long and hard about what you want, even if you believe you can not have it. Maybe then life will fall back into place as it should. _

She smiled; this must have been James’ form of a joke, she supposed. Flipping open the journal, she caressed the soft pages, admiring the craftsmanship. Her Aunt Clary had instilled an appreciation for the arts in her when she was young, and it had never quite left her.

Flipping through, she furrowed her brows when she found an envelope resting in the middle. She picked it up, marveling its presence for a moment before tearing it open. Inside was a plane ticket to New York City, set to leave at 6 AM. Behind the ticket was $1000 in cash: enough for a cab ride and anything else she may need in between. Behind these two items, though, was what made her sob and press her hand to her face.

A photograph, dated December 25, 2003. In the photo was her, just a tiny newborn at the time, in the arms of her papa. Her dad stood next to him. Neither of them was looking at the camera; their focus was reserved entirely for her.

Stuffing the items into her bag, she ran and ran and ran. She hailed a cab and hopped in, frantically requesting a ride to the airport.

She could finally come home.

* * *

 

_ December 25, 2018, 8:34 AM, New York, NY _

She could still remember the address of her old home, so the moment she touched down to New York, she acquired a cab and demanded a ride there.

It was about halfway there she realized that they may have moved in the time she had been gone, and the nerves hit. She fidgeted nervously, tapping her foot and chewing on her thumbnail. The cab pulled in front of the building and she handed him one of the 100 dollar bills, rushing from the cab without bothering to get the change back.

Money didn’t really matter anymore.

Despite her anxiety, she climbed the steps to her dads' apartment and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the Lightwood-Bane plaque hanging by the door. Reaching underneath her hoodie, she pulled out a small chain with a silver key attached to it, biting her lip, hoping beyond everything that the key would work.

She inserted the key and was about to turn when she heard a peal of laughter coming from inside. She recognized it as her papa’s. She paused as all her regrets about coming home came rushing back all at once.

What if they didn’t want her? Resting her head against the cold wood of the door, she felt the tears escape. Moving to turn back, she gasped when she realized she could hear what they were saying from inside. She pressed her ear harder against the door and waited.

_ “She was a mess alright,” her dad laughed brightly, “But she was our mess.” _

_ “Oh, for sure,” her papa cried, laughing along with his husband, “It’s what made her special, really.” _

There was a pause, and she wasn’t sure if they had stopped talking or if she just couldn’t hear what they were saying. She pressed harder, her body flush with the door, the key digging harshly into her hip.

_ “I just wish she would come home. It’s all I ever wanted, ever since she left that night,” her dad said. _

Rushing back, Diana lifted a hand to her mouth. They wanted her back. They always had, they still do. Rushing forward again, she gripped the key in her hands and pushed, swinging the door open.

“Daddy! Papa!” she cried loudly, launching herself into the arms of her shell-shocked parents.

“Diana…?” Alec said, his voice broken, “Oh my god, it’s really you!”

Lifting her up with ease, Alec tightened his grip around her and sobbed. He let her down, but Magnus was quick to pick her up next, crying softly into her neck. He set her down, too, taking her in.

“My god, you’re so different, now,” Magnus muttered with awe.

“She’s perfect,” Alec said, eyes shining brightly.

“I missed you guys so much,” Diana sniffed, “I’m so sorry, I-”

“Hush, baby,” Magnus said, “It’s alright. All that matters is that you’re back.”

“Yeah, I am,” she agreed, smiling through the tears and the snot.

She launched herself at them once more, gripping tightly as she promised herself that she would never let go.

* * *

 

_ December 25, 2018, 10:07 AM, New York, NY _

Magnus walked in from the bedroom, smiling at his sleeping daughter on the couch. Her head was in Alec’s lap, his fingers cascading through her hair.

“I just got off the phone with Maryse and Luke,” he informed his husband, sitting on the other end of the couch by Diana’s feet, “they were delighted to hear that Diana is home, but they said they would give us until tomorrow before visiting. The others all said the same thing when I spoke to them.”

“Who all did you talk to?” Alec asked, not removing his gaze from Diana’s sleeping form.

“I talked to Isabelle, Simon, Maia, Clary, Jace, and Lydia first. They were all together for breakfast,” Magnus said, “I talked to Cat, Ragnor, Raphael, and Madzie next. They were also gathered together for breakfast. Jem, Tessa, Will, and the kids were all together as well when I spoke to them.”

“I guess with it being Christmas it would be easier to tell the news to everyone,” Alec joked.

Magnus laughed but didn’t say anything. He rested his hand on Diana’s feet, caressing the skin softly.

“I still keep thinking I’ll wake up and realize this was all just a cruel dream,” Magnus whispered.

“Me too.”

They sat in silence for a few more moments, basking in the elation of finally having their baby home again. There was a part of Magnus that had started to believe his daughter had died, and that she was never coming home. He’d never been happier to be so wrong.

The 3 years since Diana had left had been rough for them. The only reason they were even still together, though Magnus was loathed to admit it, was because of the hope that Diana would return. They’d kept the apartment, the locks, the phone numbers all the same so that Diana could someday find her way home.

“We should go to bed,” Magnus whispered, “I’m sure she misses sleeping in a real bed.”

“I don’t want to leave her yet, Magnus,” Alec choked.

“We’re not going to,” Magnus promised, “We can all fit in our bed. It will be fine.”

Alec nodded, and Magnus stood to pick her up. She was light as a feather, and it broke Magnus’ heart to know that she weighed less now than she did the day she had left. Alec followed him to the bedroom, adjusting the covers so that Magnus could lay her down in the middle. Once she was situated, Alec pulled the covers over her sleeping form and kissed her forehead. They both climbed in on either side of her, snuggling close.

“She’s home,” Alec whispered as if it had finally sunk in.

“She’s home,” Magnus agreed.

Now that their hearts had been lightened of the distinct and unending emptiness that was unique to the loss of a child, Magnus and Alec could finally sleep peacefully. With unspoken promises of never letting go hanging in the air, the Lightwood-Banes allowed themselves to rest for the first time in three years.

Diana Sophia Lightwood-Bane had finally found her way home.


End file.
